Former trainer Robert Smerdon-who was dealt 115 of the 250 total charges in the Aquanita sodium bicarbonate doping scandal-has been banned from racing for life. Stable employees Greg and Denise Nelligan received the same punishment. The scandal came to light last October after Greg Nelligan, a float driver, was caught administering a syringe into the mouth of one of Smerdon's horses at the races. Smerdon could still yet face a fine.
The trainers and stable hands charged in the case all fell under the umbrella of the former syndicate management company Aquanita racing, which has since re-branded itself. Trainer Stuart Webb was banned four years, Tony Vasil three years, Trent Pennuto two years and Liam Birchley one year. Stable employee Daniel Garland was also banned a year.
Smerdon had handed in his license, announcing his retirement, in late March amidst the charges and did not participate in the hearing.
The scandal was made public in January, and later over 1,000 text messages retrieved from Greg Nelligan's phone over a seven-year period with some of the accused trainers provided strong evidence of the wrongdoing. The guilty parties discussed “top-ups”, which was found to refer to a dose of sodium bicarbonate shortly before race time to reduce build-up of lactic acid, and therefore stall fatigue.
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